Nacada wants sale of ‘Kuber’ regulated, say it’s spiked with hard drugs
National Agency for Campaign Against Drug Abuse (Nacada) has raised an alarm over increased use of ‘Kuber’ in the country and wants the Ministry of Health to regulate the use or ban it altogether.
‘Kuber’ is a tobacco product that has more nicotine content than a cigarette. It is absorbed through the mouth by placing a pinch of the tobacco under the lower lip.
Nacada claims though drug falls under the Tobacco Act, it has been spiked with hard drugs which includes cocaine and bhang, making it highly addictive.
Nacada Central regional boss James Macharia has said the drug is mostly abused by youth and high school students.
Speaking at Mjini village, in Murang’a town on Friday during a sensitization tour, Mr Macharia noted that users of the drug can not be easily rehabilitated like those hooked in alcohol.
“The flavoured ‘Kuber’ has been mixed with other hard drugs and this makes it have extremely high craving effects, very hard to stop and very hard to be rehabilitated. Police officers can’t arrest the drug abusers since its classified as a Tobacco which is considered legal.
“The Ministry must establish regulations to control the use of the drug or ban it the way Shisha was banned,” Mr Macharia said.
Mr Macharia said Kuber’s highly addictive nature, availability and its low cost makes it most preferred by abusers.
“If something is not done to arrest the situation, the country will be grappling with a menace with school going children mostly affected and posing a huge risk to the coming generation,” he said.
He said the drug is now the third most abused drug in Central region after Bhang and alcohol respectively.